Seeing the light
by Empress of IT2
Summary: Harry Potter disappers on his 15th birthday. Where has he gone? and is he coming back?Chapter Seven is up!
1. Default Chapter

**Seeing the Light **

**Chapter 1**

Moonlight shone through a window illuminating the young man sitting on a bed, staring at a clock on the opposite wall.  
  
11:55  
  
'_Five minutes'_ Harry potter thought' _just five more minutes'_ for indeed this was Harry Potter the Boy Who Lived, The saviour of the wizarding world.  
  
11:56  
  
'_Four minutes till I'm 15'_ this had become a tradition for Harry to count down the minutes till his Birthday. This year especially. It was something to keep his mind off the nightmares and the ever present ache in his forehead.  
  
11:57  
  
Harry was dressed in loose fitting clothing, it was loose because it had once belonged, much like a lot of other things he owned, to his cousin Dudley. Who was at least four times bigger than Harry. His hair was , as always, a mess and his emerald eyes were hidden behind round glasses  
  
11:58  
  
Harry sighed and switched his gaze from the clock to the window, the moon was full tonight which Harry knew meant somewhere out there that Lupin had turned into Moony, hopefully though pad foot was with him. Harry sighed again. Out of all the people he missed, he missed his Godfather the most. And Cedric.......Cedric would never see another birthday........Oh hell it was all his fault. No matter what they say he knew it was all his fault.  
  
He glanced at the clock again, his vision blurred by tears  
  
11:59  
  
One minute  
  
_All his fault_.  
  
30 seconds  
  
_I'm sorry Cedric_  
  
10 seconds  
  
9  
  
8  
  
7  
  
6  
  
5  
  
4  
  
3  
  
2  
  
1...  
  
12:00  
  
A blinding flash of pain hit Harry and everything blacked out ....

TBC......


	2. Reactions

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING, never have never will

so here it is chapter two.....

* * *

RON  
  
Ronald Weasley came downstairs from the bright orange room that was his own on the 31st of July, believing that it would be a perfectly ordinary day.  
  
On arriving in the burrow's welcoming kitchen he noticed the first signs that something wasn't right. His mother sat at the kitchen table in floods of tears. Ginny was trying to comfort her. Ginny herself looked pretty pale and upset.  
  
Another thing that alerted him to the fact something was wrong was the fact his father was not present. Ron knew he wasn't upstairs and his father never left for work this early in the morning on Monday.  
  
"What's wrong? What's happened?"  
  
Ron was really beginning to worry what had happened to make everyone so upset  
  
"Oh Ron" Ginny was suddenly hugging him, sobbing. She looked up at him her eyes filled with tears.  
  
"It's Harry, he's disappeared"  
  
"WHAT!"

* * *

HERMIONE  
  
Hermione Granger sat in her kitchen having her breakfast idly staring out of the window, when through that window flew a tawny owl carrying a rolled up edition of the daily prophet. Hermione paid the owl, which immediately flew off and unrolled the paper. The headline nearly made her choke on the mouthful of water she had just drunk.  
  
The Boy Who Lived Missing  
  
Harry potter the boy who lived, disappear from his relatives house around midnight last night, as of yet no trace of weather his disappearance was  
willing or forced has been found. Aurors at the seen said......  
  
Harry was missing; no it couldn't be not Harry, Not after what happen at the end of last year.  
  
Hermione let out a dry sob, just as her mother, Ann Granger, entered the kitchen  
  
"Hermione dear what's the matter?"  
  
Hermione didn't answer. She just flung herself into her mother's arms. Ann was slightly shocked by her daughter's behaviour but held her till her sobs died down.  
  
"Do you what to tell me what's wrong now?" Ann said softly.  
  
Hermione sniffed and then spoke softly her voice faltering occasionally, "You know Harry"  
  
"The boy who is always in trouble" Ann said nodding  
  
Hermione smiled slightly and nodded, "yes him, well........well he's gone missing a..a..and I'm af.f.f.faid you know who has got him" Hermione finished and burst into tears again  
  
Her mother just continued to hold her while smiling sadly.

* * *

SIRIUS  
  
Sirius Black, infamous escaped convict hurried down one of the deserted corridors of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry towards the office of the Head master, Albus Dumbledore the werewolf Remus Lupin at his side.  
  
"Calm down Sirius", Remus's voice was its usual calm unhurriedness.  
  
"Calm Down! He said it was urgent Remus. What if something's happened to Harry? What if the deatheaters got him?"  
  
They arrived outside the gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore's office and spoke the password.  
  
"Cola bottles"  
  
Sirius distracted for a moment by the ever increasing strangeness of Dumbledore's passwords muttered to himself  
  
"Cola bottles? What the hell are cola bottles?"  
  
As they entered Dumbledore's office Remus had to admit that the look on Dumbledore's face was enough to convert him to Sirius's way of thinking.  
  
"Sit down", Dumbledore's voice was tired. Sirius and Remus sank into chairs opposite his desk.  
  
"I am afraid I have some bad news for you," beside him Remus felt Sirius tense,  
  
"Mr Potter has disappeared!"  
  
In somewhere that had been concealed from humans for centuries a black haired boy with emerald green eyes began to stir......

TBC.....


	3. Waking Up

Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!

I am so sorry it took me this long to upload this chapter, real life and writers block got in the way

Kari: no they didnt YOU just couldn't be bothered!!!!!!

Thats not _entirerly _true

Kari: yes it is

Okay so possibly i could have done this a bit sooner

Kari:_ right_

Just shut up, oh and okay people I do not own harry potter

Kari: no you just want to

Didn't i tell you to shuut uo already

Kari: yeah whatever on with the story!!!!!!!!!!

* * *

Chapter Three.

Harry groaned, his head felt like someone had hit him with a sledge hammer, not that he actually knew what it felt like to be hit with a sledge hammer but if he did he would bet his Firebolt that it could make his head feel any worse than it did at this moment.

"I wouldn't try to open your eyes yet," a soft voice said from somewhere above him, "the light would hurt them."

Harry's eyes snapped open , only to have him immediately screw them shut again as a blinding light pierced his irises. A light chuckle reverberated above him and the voice ,which he now realised was female, spoke again.

"I did warn you,"

Harry didn't think it was the best idea to try and open his eyes again so he settled for the next idea that came to him. Trying to ask where he was and why he was there because he was obviously no longer at the Dursleys.

"That's right hun your not in Kansas anymore"

What? His brain couldn't cope with this right now and ....wait a minute,..

"How did you know what I was thinking and I've never been to Kansas so why are you saying I'm not there anymore?"

"Wow, you managed to string a legible sentence together not many have been able to so soon after the crossing, and the Kansas thing is the wizard of Oz obviously."

There was a pause, Harry couldn't think of anything to say to that. The silence was broken by a sigh.

"Look, I'm sorry this must be confusing for you, Hell I'd be confused if it was me. And me going on at you can't be helping," another pause, "Say what how about I go and get someone who can explain what the hell is happening to you without screwing it up and you try and get a bit more rest trust me your going to need it and don't try the eyes again before I get back or I won't be responsible for the consequences."

Kari stared down at the black haired teen before rising from her seat beside the bed and hurrying from the room nearly tripping over her trailing bootlaces on the way out.

As she strode along the corridor and out into a courtyard she continued her usual habit of ignoring the beauty around her and concentrating on an inner conversation.

_Well that was stupid _

No, it wasn't

_Err, yes it was, you just went and told the boy that someone is going to EXPLAIN what is going on _

Well they will

_No they wo...... _

At this point the internal conversation deteriorates into a round of oh yes they will and oh no, they won't which can go on forever, so I will take this opportunity to interrupt and introduce the girl you have just met.

Her name as mentioned is Kari, and in case you have not realised (which may or may not be possible) she is a telepath. What else can I say, well she is of average height around 5, 6 and is no over weight but is not exceedingly thin either. But that is where normality in terms of her looks ends. For you see Kari is an albino. Therefore her hair is the purest white of untouched snow, her eyes the deep scarlet of blood and her skin had the translucent paleness of ice. Of course if you actually saw her you would not see her quite as poetically as that sounds, as her hair is always pulled back into a pony tail and most of the time she dress simply in her uniform consisting of a black skirt and white long sleeved shirt of which the cuffs were always unbuttoned and on her feet she had her old scruffy doc martins always with the laces untied. So that is what she looks like you will discover what she id like as a person later. And now I apologise for this interruption and return you to the story.

_Oh no, they won't _

Oh yes they will

_Oh no they... _

Kari had arrived out side an engraved door she raised her hand to knock paused for a fraction of a second before entering with the words,

"Sir I thought you might need to know the boy, Harry, just woke up and wants to know what's going on, and he can say a coherent sentence."

TBC


	4. Explanations

Diclaimer: I own Nuthin'

Thank you to of you who reviewed, you're all so cool.

Okay  thats all I had to say.

**Chapter Four**

Harry opened his eyes, before he remembered the pain this had previously caused him and shutting them quickly, then opening them slowly once again as realisation dawned that whatever light had blinded him before had gone or at least dimmed to a bearable level.

Cautiously, his eyes travelled round the room taking in what was displayed to them, the wind breezed softly through the open window and stirred the flowers resting near by which appeared to have dried up slightly.

Rippled reflections moved round the room as the light bounced off the many crystals. All these observations shocked Harry and it would not have been that surprising if his eyes had really dropped out of their sockets.

"Most people react that way you know" Harry jumped at least a foot in the air and landed with a bump on the floor.

He heard a chuckle from above him and looked up into laughing chestnut eyes, "good thing its carpeted isn't it?" The man smiled helping Harry to his feet, "you'd better sit this may take some time."

Harry's forehead crinkled, "What?" Smiling the man gestured for Harry to sit as he himself shut the door and took the sit next to the bed.

"So, what would you like to know?" the man questioned, still smiling kindly.

"Umm..." Harry had no idea what to ask first his head was so full of questions, the last time he had felt this confused was when he had first met Hagrid. So true to form he asked them all together.

"Whoareyou?whereamI?howdidigethere?whyamihere?whowasthatgirl?whycouldn'tI openmyeyesearlier?whencanigo......."

The man watch with amusement as Harry tried and failed to continue asking questions with the same breath, frankly he found it surprising that he had managed to get that much out in one breath.

"I suppose you're right and that I should introduce myself, my name is Matt and you are in the realms, as to the other I will answer them but not just yet."

At these words Harry was unnervingly reminded of Dumbledore. The man chuckled softly.

"You misunderstand me Harry, I will answer your Question but I thought you might be more comfortable I a different environment and maybe it would be a good idea for you to get dressed in something else?"

Harry frowned and glanced down at what he was wearing or rather not wearing, he could feel his face heating up as he realised he was only clothed in and old pair of boxers.

The man just chuckled again and rose from his seat smiling.

"I'll leave you to get dressed; Kari will show you wear to come when you're ready" and with these words he left the room.

Harry quickly searched the room for anything to wear, he opened the wardrobe that was in the corner of the room in it was the largest variety of clothes Harry had ever seen outside a clothing store. He hurriedly selected a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt and pulled them on quickly. He had just finished pulled the t-shirt over his head when the door burst open and what Harry assumed to be a human sized whirlwind shot into the room.

When the whirlwind stopped moving, right in front of him Harry blinked as he found himself staring into a pair of scarlet coloured eyes he only had a brief moment for his confused brain to register this before the whirlwind, that Harry had now realised was a girl began to talk,

"Hi, sorry about earlier with confusing you and all, but I have a tendency to speak before I think, and you know what they say old habits die hard. So how are you? You didn't seem too good earlier are you okay you don't seem to say much do you? And didn't you wear glasses?"

Harry blinked "I do wear glasses." Reaching up he was about to tap them to show the girl though how she couldn't see the he didn't know when it hit him the he wasn't wearing glasses AND that he could still see,

"Huh...?" Harry was now even more confused than he had been before. What on earth was going on?

"That's the thing hun you're not on earth anymore, oh lord now I must be really confusing you and I don't think I even introduced myself yet how rude can I get" she said wrinkling up her nose.

"Well I should introduce myself now shouldn't I, Yes? Good. I'm Kari Knight by the way, at your service."

"Umm... Harry Potter, nice to meet you I guess"

The gir... No Kari smiled, "Well you had better follow me Matt will be waiting for us!"

Harry just nodded and followed her out of the room, not bothering to look where he was going he followed her though the corridors that seem to make up this... whatever it was, he noticed the many doors leading off the corridor but Kari just passed them by without a second glance. Before long they finally stopped outside an intricately engraved door and Kari pushed it open and entered Harry trailing nervously behind.

The room seem pretty normal actually, well normal by Harry's standards, in the centre of the room was a round wooden table engraved with the same symbols as the door. Sitting at it was Matt, he glanced up and smiled as Kari and Harry entered.

"Good you made it, I see Kari found you Harry, please take seat both of you."

Kari seated herself easily and Harry gingerly took the seat to her left. He then fixed his gaze on Matt as the man cleared his throat and appeared to be deep in thought.

"Well it seems the best idea to first tell you where you are doesn't it. Earlier I mentioned that you were in the Realms, correct."

Harry nodded.

"Very good, well the realms are a parallel dimension to earth, that is only accessible to those who need it, and the place that you are in at the moment is the Training Academy for people who either didn't fit in where they where or who have gifts that need to be trained."

"Right", Harry still wasn't sure he quite understood what was going on, but why am I here?"

"Because you Mr Potter like Kari here have gifts that need to be realised a taught control, I will leave Kari to finish explaining as she has been through this herself."

And with that he rose to his feet and left the room.

Harry turned to stare at Kari. Who looked straight back at him.

"So. . ." she paused frowned at the ceiling for a seconded, "Well what you want to know?"

Harry thought for a moment, "What are your gifts?" he had to admit that she was intriguing and that the way she looked and acted was a mystery maybe it had something to do with her gifts.

She smiled, "I'm a telepath, have telekinesis and control of the element of ice." She paused, "If you would like to know, Matt's an empath and has control of the element earth, also he works here as an instructor, teaches potions."

Harry just stared at her, she chuckled, "you know not all potions teachers are... how did you put it, over sized greasy bats."

"How?....Oh Telepath right sorry," Harry began to look sheepish, Kari grinned.

"Don't worry you get used to it, well would you like to know what you can do or do you want it to be a surprise?"

" Ummm... Knowing would be nice I suppose," tilting his head to one side Harry considered what his 'powers' might be.

"Okay," Kari smiled brilliantly the smile lighting up her whole face, "well you have control of the elements of nature for one.."

"Elements of nature?"

"Oh you know like the winds and rain and stuff."

Harry nodded slightly dumbstruck. Kari continued smirking at the expression on her companions face.

"Apart from that you have, the ability to sense auras, a sort of sixth sense thing, The ability to talk to snakes you already know about, and you have the element of fire that about it.....I think?"

Kari frowned tilting her own head to one side and then just shrugging unconcernedly.

"Right anything else you want to know?" Harry just shook his head to deep into shock to do anything else.

Kari grinned, "good well follow me I'll show you around," she glanced back at him from over her shoulder , "After all this place will be your home for quite some time now won't it."

With that Harry Potter still in a state of complete shock followed Kari out of the room.

TBC


	5. Friendship and Understanding

Disclainer: Once again I own nuthin'( do I have to keep tell Y'all this?)

**Chapter Five**

WAKE UP!!!

Harry's eyes snapped open but even that did not stop him plunging over the side of the bed and hitting the floor with a loud thud. Harry groaned, sitting up and rubbing his back which had been the unfortunate part of his body that had taken the impact as he hit the floor.

"Damn it Kari," he snarled glaring at the albino girl, "do you HAVE to do that?"

"Yes, it's so much fun to see you fall out of bed," Kari grinned unashamedly, smirking down at Harry, "and anyway you should be used to it by now I have been doing it for the last three weeks!"

Harry snorted, "Fine are you going to leave so I can get dressed or should I go to breakfast in what I'm wearing?"

Kari laughed, spun on her heel and exited the room calling back over her shoulder,

"Meet me in the morning hall when you're ready,"

Harry merely grunted in response and began searching for his jeans.

The day as the twenty one days before it flew by Harry was kept so busy with classes and studies that he hardly had time to think. His classes he did have to admit were interesting. Even potions but that may be because of the way Matt taught it, although this said none of his lessons were by any means easy.

The academy as it was known to its students had probably the most extraordinary range of subjects and people living within it. Harry had thought Hogwarts curriculum was impressive but it was ordinary compared to what was taught at the academy.

Harry's own timetable consisted of the expected subjects such as potions, charms and transfiguration, but strangely enough not defence against the dark arts. His lessons also included a form of divination he supposed where he was taught to read and understand peoples auras, another to enhance his 'sixth sense' he also had elemental classes to train his element of fire.

The elements of nature were rather more difficult, Kari had told him that these powers were related to his emotions, so first he had to learn to control his emotions, which as Kari had pointed out was rather more easily said than done. Harry was taking lessons with Matt but wasn't getting very far due to certain........memories.

Presently Harry was sat on the edge of the grand fountain in the central courtyard reading an unusual past time for him admittedly but one he seemed to be doing gradually more and more of.

"You know burring yourself in books will not make what ever is wrong go away," a soft voice interrupted his reading Harry glanced up into the crimson eyes of the girl who in three short weeks had become one of his closest friends.

"And talking about it will?" Harry's voice was scornful.

Kari smiled sadly.

"No but you know what they say a problem shared is a problem halved."

"That is a load of utter nonsense."

Kari laughed quietly, and turned her gaze to the setting sun which had just began to sink below the horizon bathing all around in an other worldly light be fore drifted into twilight.

Kari turned to face him her voice was soft as she spoke, "please Harry, tell me what's wrong."

Harry's emerald eyes held Kari's crimson ones and for a moment a battle of wills commenced between the friends, finally it was Harry who looked away first,

"Very well, what do you want to know?"

"Everything, or anything you want to tell me, just don't keep what is bothering you locked up inside, it's not healthy."

"Okay......." Harry took a deep breath and began to talk.

Ha told Kari about his life growing up with the Dursleys and living in the cupboard under the stairs, He told her about receiving his Hogwarts letter and meeting Hagrid, ha spoke about meeting and befriending Ron and Hermione, his first year and the events that occurred. He recounted the events of his second year the basilisk and tom Riddle's diary, Meeting Sirius in his third year and learning of his innocence. But when telling of his fourth year he found he could not speak of the events in the graveyard.

"He ...he ...I can't say it."

"What did he do Harry?" Kari's voice was soothing and Harry felt a calmness spread through him.

"Can't you just... you know... read my mind to find out?"

Again sad smile curved her lips, "yes but it would still make you... relive it for want of a better word."

Harry sighed, took another deep breath and tried to speak again.

"He... He killed Cedric. And it's all my fault!"

Kari simply stared at him shock evident in her eyes,

"Oh Harry you cannot believe that please look at me,"

Harry pulled his gaze from the floor to look into Kari's eyes, in them he did not see what he had expected instead of condemnation or pity there was understanding.

"Harry I have no doubt what so ever that whatever happened was in no way shape or form your fault AND I'm going to make you believe that if it kills me!"

Harry smiled slightly tearfully at her and she smiled sadly back.

"I'm your friend Harry and I'll stand by you no matter what!"

Harry sniffed slightly and spoke.

"Isn't that a rather large commitment to make to someone you have only known three weeks?"

Kari laughed, "come on you moron we need to get you something to eat before you go pessimistic on me."

So together the two friends left the courtyard and headed towards the kitchens in search of food.

TBC.....


	6. Three years in One

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'mmmmmmmmmmm BBBBBBBaaaaaaacccccckkkkkk

Drama coursework sucks!!!!!!!!!!

If anyone tells you that Drama is a skive don't beleive them. THEY ARE LYING!!!

Sorry had to get that off my chest. On with the story.....

/Blah/- telepathic speech

--------- Flashback

.............. scene change

**Chapter Six**

It had been a year since Harry had first come to the academy, at least it had been a year to everyone outside the academy within it almost three years had passed and Harry had gain full control of the powers he had been introduced to three years previous. His graduation ceremony had been the previous week and had come off without a hitch, quite a feat when Kari had been involved in the organisation of the event. Harry smiled slightly at the memory.

---------------------------------------------

"Do you Harry James Potter swear by your life never to use your gifts for Destruction or evil?"

"I swear." Harry's voice was strong there was no hint of doubt or hesitation to be heard in it.

"Then by my authority within this school I bind your oath. So mote it be."

----------------------------------------------

Harry stood next to his open trunk in his room taking a last glance round in case he had forgotten anything important, when the door crashed open.

"Hello Kari," Harry spoke without looking up as he was so used to this occurrence by now that it did not startle him in the slightest.

"Right when are we leaving?"

It took a minute for Harry to register what she had said, as he was still busy checking he had everything.

"_We!" _

"Of course 'we', you really think I'm letting you go back out there on your own, you'd get yourself killed or worse lost!"

Harry raised an eyebrow in bewilderment,

"How is getting lost worse than getting killed?"

"Well..." Kari drew a deep breath and Harry could tell she was about to start one of her very long stories ,that were usually utter nonsense she had come up with off the top of her head and that he would have to sit for hours waiting for her to finish. So he did the only sensible thing he could do.

"Actually, I don't think I really want to know."

Kari's smirk told him that she knew exactly what he had been thinking and her next action proved that

/I do not ramble on for hours thank you very much Mr. Potter/

She smiles wickedly. / I'll see you into the courtyard in 15 minutes/

Harry just grinned.

A pair of booted feet paced back and forwards across the floor.

Click-clack, Click-clack, Click-clack.

A pause.

Silence.

Footsteps approaching.

The door handle turning.

A door creaked open.

A soft light illuminated the room and a pair of scarlet eyes connected with a pair of emerald.

"Ready"

"This is going to hurt isn't it?"

A soft laugh echoed through the room.

"Just close your eyes and don't think about it."

Platform 9 ¾ was its usual confused chaos, parents saying goodbye to children, younger siblings screaming and animals screeching. Yet within this chaos stood an oasis of quiet.

A young lady stood alone, scanning the crowed platform looking for something, her shoulders slowly drooped and she let out a sigh looking over at the red headed young man who was approaching her.

"He's not here."

Ron sighed; the look of sadness in Hermione's eyes ripped his heart into pieces.

"He's not dead, Mione,"

Hermione smiled but there was an innate sadness behind and yet a steely determination.

"I know he's not dead. I will never believe he is dead no matter what they say until they prove it to me."

"Come on, our trunks are already on the train and Ginny is saving us seats."

With one last glance over her shoulder at the people on the hidden platform Hermione followed Ron onto the Hogwarts Express.

T.B.C


	7. Reactions 2

Disclaimer:I don't own (wish I did)

Sorry for the wait.

_italics _Telepathic thoughts.

* * *

Chapter Seven.

Hogwarts was at its usual splendour for the start of term Feast, candles hung suspended in the air the sky above was cloudless the stars glittering. The students that filled the hall were as loud as ever as everyone welcomed each other back and caught up after the holidays.

The hall fell silent as McGonagall entered followed by the first years. They reached the dais and the sorting began.

Ron and Hermione watched the sorting with detachment they had, by now, seen so many of them and it did not seem the same without Harry with them.

As the sorting came to an end Dumbledore rose to his feet and was about to begin his start of term speech. When a loud crash echoed from the entrance hall, followed by the sound of voices.

"When you said it was going to hurt, I didn't think you meant that much!"

"Well I did warn you, it's your own fault if you didn't believe me."

"Brat!"

"Git!"

"I hate you!"

"Love you to, honey"

Inside the hall whispers were beginning to start as students speculated about the voices.

"Bet you it's the new defence teacher"

"Don't be an idiot there's two of them"

Hermione gaze was fixed on the door and frown growing on her face there was something familiar about the first voice she shook her head no she was just being stupid it would be far too much of a coincidence if it was...

The great hall's door slammed open the noise reverberating around the room and everyone's eyes were immediately drawn back to the door as two people entered the hall. A young man and a woman.

The woman was tallish with stark white hair, milk white skin and scarlet eyes. She was dressed in what appeared to be an entirely black uniform.

The man was dressed in the same black uniform and was glaring at the girl, who took that opportunity to stick her tongue out at him.

He was tall with jet black hair that hung to his shoulders, his skin was a tanned bronze and he seemed to be carrying a back-pack. As he turned towards the hall he rolled his eyes and brushed his hair out of his eyes, which were startling shades of emerald, revealing a lighting-bolt scar emblazoned on his forehead.

"Harry!"

Hermione's whisper reverberated through the hall.

The emerald eyed man turned his gaze on her and smiled.

"Hello, Hermione, long time no see."

Hermione was out of her seat before anyone else had registered what had been said, well except one twinkling old man at the head table.

Hermione flew down the isle between the house tables and hugged Harry tears flowing freely down her face. Ron rose from his seat to follow her but froze when a resounding SLAP rang through the hall.

Hermione had drawn back from Harry and now stood glaring at him. Harry stood frozen in shock.

Hermione had slapped him. He raised one hand and rubbed his cheek slightly with a grimace.

The silence that had once again consumed the hall was broken by muffled laughter coming from slightly behind Harry.

He drew aside turn towards his companion and glared.

"What exacting do you find so amusing about be being slapped miss knight"

"Why Mr Potter, I do believe I am insulted."

Hermione head move between the two as this interaction took place and a confused look flitted across her face.

Harry snorted.

"Yeah right, it would take a lot more than that to insult you and you know it."

Kari laughed out right at that.

_Harry I think we had better stop as I think we're confusing them and you haven't introduced me ye. I might become insulted._

Harry snorted again and then turned to face the hall again.

"Hello..."

Harry took a deep breath and began a again glancing over his shoulder at Kari, who took a step forward and planted herself next to him, arms crossed.

_Breath _

Harry drew a deep breath and began again.

"Hi, if you don't remember me I'm Harry Potter"

_Good, now keep breathing and introduce me._

"My companion you do not know, so may I present her this is Kari Knight, who has become a very dear friend."

_Now who do you want to tell the whole story to._

"Could I please see Professor's Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape, as well as Ron, Hermione and Ginny?"

_Well done, now we just have to explain why your two years older than the rest of your year. That will be fun won't it?_

Harry rolled his eyes. Kari was the undefeated queen of understatements.

TBC...


End file.
